About the University of Denver

Located where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, the University of Denver embodies the spirit of exploration and discovery that defines our region and our history. DU is a private institution built on exploration through research and collaboration among educators, students, and local and global communities. With nationally recognized academic programs, a history of widespread influence, a forward-looking vision for a 21st-century education, and a deep commitment to promoting inclusion, we open a world of opportunity to students and empower them to make a difference around the world. Through learning, scholarship and practice, students gain the experience, knowledge and courage they need to tackle big challenges in the real world and guide diverse communities and organizations.

About the Graduate School of Professional Psychology

At the Graduate School of Professional Psychology, our goal is to transform the way we think about and approach mental health and wellness. We do so through groundbreaking academic programs and experiential training that aims to ensure we can better meet the needs of the communities we serve. We are dedicated to developing exceptional practitioners and scholars by offering a well-rounded approach to education. Every single one of our programs blends valuable academic offerings, intensive field-based training, cutting-edge applied research, and constructive community engagement. Our academic programs are rooted in our history of service and have developed over time to meet the growing needs of society. For more information please visit http://psychology.du.edu.

The Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) at DU was created in 1976 to house one of the first Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) programs in the country, under the then-new Vail training model (practitioner-scholar). The PsyD program has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1979. Furthermore, GSPP provides four masters programs: Sport Coaching, Sport and Performance Psychology, Forensic Psychology, and International Disaster Psychology: Trauma and Global Mental Health, as well as online certificates and continuing education. We also offer several fully online graduate certificates in sport, strength and conditioning, and fitness coaching. As of fall 2021, weve launched a new undergraduate minor in Kinesiology and Sport Studies, with plans for continued growth in students and degree offerings.

GSPP also has a partially-affiliated, APA-accredited internship consortium, and several in-house and satellite training clinics that serve Denver and the surrounding communities. As a professional school, GSPP promotes and utilizes high-level pedagogy that integrates applied practice, theory, research, and scholarship. Our strategic plan Innovation and Impact: Psychology for a Complex World outlines how we are building on our academic strengths to expand our community reach. All GSPP programs provide comprehensive academic and applied training within an academic environment that values cooperation and collaboration, fosters critical thinking, as well as self-determined functioning in a collegial atmosphere with significant opportunities for creativity teamwork and innovation.

Position Summary

The Director of Communications and Outreach is responsible for both high-level strategic planning for outreach and direct operational implementation of communication and marketing activities. The operational work requires effective use of a wide range of platforms and media to engage with a wide range of audiences, including updating the website, social media, email, paper, and other creative means to effectively share information with students, staff, faculty, prospective students, alumni, donors, advisory boards and councils, and other community members. The Director is empowered and expected to continuously improve processes to reflect best practices across the University and the field, particularly around inclusiveness and equity for diverse voices and audiences. The Director works with budget personnel to ensure that GSPP resources are being used and allocated effectively and transactions are processed appropriately. In addition, the Director manages a small team that includes an Events Manager, student employees, and contractors/volunteers who support GSPPs outreach efforts. However, responsibility lies with the Director for the day-to-day operational activities of GSPPs internal and external communication and marketing work.

Reporting to the Dean, the Director will also lead the development and implementation of strategic internal and external communications and outreach plans and processes for GSPP and its programs. These plans will reflect close collaborations with GSPP faculty and staff and DU colleagues in Marketing & Communications, Advancement, and Information Technology to focus on strategies that fit GSPPs culture, expertise, and resources. The plans will incorporate a number of special projects, including promoting constructive dialogue and feedback with students, increasing transparency in internal communications, supporting effective knowledge management, and managing significant change at GSPP. These plans will also capitalize on complex analyses - such as measuring the return on investment of events, interpreting web analytics, or researching target audiences - and build in opportunities for continuous improvement and flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances.

Success at GSPP during this period of exciting growth requires significant adaptability and an enthusiastic commitment to teamwork. Furthermore, all GSPP employees share responsibility for fostering a model workplace. To this end, the Director is expected to practice thoughtful and intentional communication and collaboration, leadership in creative problem-solving, active participation in meetings, service on committees, engagement with team-building activities, and cross-training with other staff to foster organizational resilience. The Director is also expected to promote DUs values of diversity, equity, and inclusion and inter-departmental collaboration in the spirit of One DU.

Essential Functions

• Develop and execute strategic communication and outreach plans for GSPP and its programs for both internal and external audiences. Adapt these plans as needed in an environment of significant change and growth.
• Develop and execute knowledge management plans for GSPP to promote transparency, information security, and efficient use of multiple tools and platforms.
• Lead collaborative teams to fulfill special communication and outreach projects.
• Advise the dean and play a leadership role in decision-making about outreach activities.
• Promote transparency and clarity in internal communications and knowledge management processes, including the management of tools like Teams.
• Produce excellent communications for GSPP across multiple platforms, timeframes, and audiences. This includes website, social media, email, newsletter, and other communications.
• Partner with other GSPP teams to advise on and support marketing and communications efforts.
• Manage daily operations and execution of GSPPs communications work, including website updates, social media, and budget oversight.
• Directly supervise the Events Manager and thoughtfully oversee events as part of GSPPs broader goals around internal engagement and external outreach.
• Design marketing and outreach materials for GSPP, or effectively oversee design work done by contractors or the Marketing & Communications department.
• Hire and train student employees and contractors to support GSPPs outreach activities with appropriate professionalism.
• Ensure the maintenance of GSPPs brand identity through all activities.
• Cultivate and support opportunities for public engagement outlets to highlight GSPP faculty expertise, such as media interviews, op-eds, and blogs.
• Seek out and report on the achievements, research and notable events of the division, faculty and students.
• Continuously improve processes and plans to adapt to changing circumstances and uphold best practices, especially around inclusiveness for diverse audiences.
• Liaise with University Departments such as Marketing & Communications, Information Technology, and Advancement to build strong relationships and leverage University resources to achieve DUs and GSPPs strategic objectives.
• Cross-train and collaborate as needed to support teamwork with colleagues.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Familiarity with best practices in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in communication.
• Familiarity with best practices in marketing, outreach, engagement, and communications.
• Graphic design skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, and website maintenance platforms.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including strong skills in editing, proof-reading, and attending to detail.
• Ability to move fluidly between high-level strategic thinking and nitty-gritty detailed implementation.
• Ability to collaborate closely with diverse faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, and the general public.
• Ability to tailor communication methods to a wide range of diverse subjects and audiences.
• Ability to adapt to and manage organizational change.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree.
• At least 5 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in marketing, communications, public relations, event planning, and/or donor relations.
• Experience in the design, development, and implementation of sophisticated communications and marketing strategies.
• Experience producing written and digital marketing materials and communications for a wide range of audiences, including social media.
• Proven experience successfully collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree in communications, marketing, journalism or related area.
• Membership in professional organizations such as PRSA.
• 6-8 years of communications, marketing, and/or event planning experience.
• Experience working on topics related to mental health.
• Experience in a higher education setting or other complex organization.
• Experience working with flexible, non-hierarchical teams and managing non-traditional personnel, such as student employees or contractors.
• Proven experience promoting issues related to diversity and inclusive excellence.
• Proven experience improving processes and adapting to change.

Working Environment

1. Standard office environment.
2. Unexpected interruptions occur often and stress level is moderate to high.
3. Noise level is quiet to moderate.

Physical Activities

1. Ability to sit or stand in front of a computer for an extended period of time.
2. Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs.

Work Schedule
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Application Deadline
For best consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) October 23, 2022.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 12.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $72,000-$82,000.

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidates sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. The University of Denver prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age (40 years and over in the employment context), religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, veterans status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the university's educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended in 2008; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For the university's complete Non-Discrimination Statement, please see non‑discrimination‑statement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.